Brynien notes that the union has managed to stave off the “massive attacks” sustained by unions in other states. “But now those hits are at our door, and we’ve been trying to deal with them as best we can,” he says. “And so the negotiating team is bringing you a contract despite our best efforts to have it be better than it currently is.”

He notes the union’s fights — all ending in defeat — to offset concessions with the continuation of the “millionaire’s tax,” the passage of a “fair budget” without the requirement for $450 million in workforce savings, and the downsizing of state government. PEF’s acceptance of the current offer, he notes, came after telephone and online surveys as well as communication from workers facing layoffs — from married couples both facing job losses as well as middle-aged workers and single mothers.

He spends the bulk of the message imparting “some information that you might not be getting,” including the reason for the deal’s five-year lifespan — which some in the union have characterized as a long-term sacrifice for a fiscal crisis of unknown duration.

“We could have had a shorter contract than five years, but it would not have included any raises,” Brynien says, noting that the agreement offers 2 percent increases in the final two years. ” … You could look at this in some respects as a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush — better to have a couple of raises already built in than to have to start in a few years with nothing and try to get some raises.”

On the layoff protection included in the deal, “I’m the first to admit it should be stronger, but we couldn’t get it to be any stronger. However, it is more layoff protection than our members have ever had in the history of PEF.” And because it is in the contract, Brynien adds, any layoffs seen by the union as violating the agreement would be subject to arbitration. Cuts emerging from downsizing or streamlining would need legislative approval, he says — an arena where the union has stronger footing.

On the additional health care costs for members, he argues that “the value of these benefits are increasing enormously — far more than the increase in costs to us.”

On furloughs, Brynien points out that most other states have instituted them, and describes the concession as “a way to give back some money that’s not permanent money like a reduction in your salary might be.” And while the first-year furlough period will be a lost paycheck for the week, the second-year furlough will be paid back over the life of the deal — “almost something like paid vacation,” he says.

“Taken all together … the vast majority of our members see increased money in their pocket by the end of the five years,” he sums up, “whereas if we just had a ‘Triborough’ contract they would not see that extra money. … The net result is we’re better off signing this contract than we are having no contract.”